The Body of an American (Portland Center Stage)

The wars abroad and the battles within.

At the beginning of Dan O’Brien’s play, two actors
introduce themselves as Paul Watson. One then speaks as Terry Gross, the
familiar voice of NPR’s Fresh Air. Soon after, the other also
adopts the radio host’s serene voice. A few lines later, the
conversation draws in the playwright. Suddenly, it’s a rapid-fire
exchange between three characters performed by only two men. Confounding
yet not confusing, it’s a fitting opening to this intricate production.

Watson—the man doubly
introduced in the play’s first lines—is a war journalist who won the
1994 Pulitzer Prize for a photo of an American soldier being dragged
through the streets of Mogadishu. The image haunted Watson. He claims
that as he snapped the shutter, the soldier spoke to him: “If you do
this, I will own you forever.” O’Brien, the playwright, heard Watson
interviewed on NPR in 2007 and sent him an email. The ensuing exchange
led to The Body of an American, premiering at Portland Center Stage.

Body is an
unconventional exploration of trauma, vulnerability and trust, set on a
stark stage as photos and maps slide behind. Though each actor has a
primary role—William Salyers is both hardened and wounded as Paul, and
the superb Danny Wolohan plays Dan with energy, humor and sorrow—they
also take on smaller roles, and occasionally speak as the opposite
character. Director Bill Rauch deftly harnesses the play’s fluidity, and
it’s a treat to watch these skilled actors flit in and out of roles,
altering their gaits and voices with ease.

The email exchange
makes up much of the first act: Paul recounts terrifying stories from
war zones, Dan diminishes his own suffering in relation to Paul’s, and
each accuses the other of half-truths. Dan to Paul: “Everything has this
kind of Hemingway patina to it.” Paul to Dan: “You only speak in these
mock-whimsical, ironic asides.” O’Brien’s language is vivid and grisly—a
baby’s head is “cracked open like a coconut.”

In the second act,
the men meet in the Canadian Arctic, the contours of the icy mountains
carved with light on the backdrop. Though this too-long act loses some
of the early urgency, it’s a fascinating study of how these two men
learn to relate. Body begins with matters of global significance
but personal questions—about healing, forgiveness and human
connection—most resonate.